In the area of electro-energetics the external costs represent the negative effects of the production of electrical energy, i.e. the expenses that are adjoined to the uncompensated expenses that appear as the unwanted consequence of the electrical energy production. Two types of decisions can be influenced by taking into account the external costs during the decision making: decisions on the energy source planning for the future power plants, and decisions on the functioning of the electro-energetic system.
The aim of this paper is to present the calculation of the external expenses for thermal power plants in Croatia that was performed using the SIMPACTS model (Simplified Approach for Estimating Impacts of Electricity Generation). SIMPACTS examines and quantifies the expenses of public health and environmental damage that come as result of the application of different technologies in the electrical energy production. The calculation was done for the year 2011 and it was performed for all the Croatian thermal power plants in relation to the area of the Republic of Croatia, TE Plomin I in relation to the surrounding area within the 2050x2050 km range, as well as for the each individual thermal power plant in relation to the each individual Croatian county.